On the Sidelines
by Masaichu
Summary: I would do so much more to help if I could. But I live on the sidelines of it all. And when you're on the sidelines, there is almost nothing you can do. Especially when you are only one Pet.


Well, I'm at home sick today, and after playing around on Neopets, I came up with this. The story is being told by my very own green Aisha. I don't own a grey Aisha, however, but this still has a good concept.

Disclaimer: I do not own Neopets or any of it's related merchandise. I merely own the Green Aisha this story is about.

--

I can't believe I stared at this place in awe before. Now, it's nothing but a horrible, terrible memory. How can they do this? How?

My owner is inside one of those doors, the big pink one that says "Adopt" on it.

She says that she wants to 'save' another pet...What does she mean? 'Save'? Are they in trouble? I wish she would tell me more, but every time I ask, she just looks away from me with a sad expression.

I'm sitting on a bench right now, looking at the counter on the other end of the room.

It doesn't take me very long to understand what this place is.

There's a huge mechanical door that says "Transfer" on it. A blue Kiko is being put inside...Why is it's owner waving?

Is the Kiko going away for awhile?

I know! Maybe it's going on vacation, like when my owner let me stay in that hotel! The door closes for a moment, and I wait.

A few minutes later, it opens again, and the Kiko has disappeared.

Even after I found out what had happened to it, I still wonder to this day where it ended up.

Whether or not it had a very nice owner or a mean one.

Standing next to the third door, is a large yellow Techo with white hair. Everyone calls him Dr. Death. He looks so scary, even from this far away...

I knew what the word abandon meant, because my owner always reads books to me.

But I didn't want to think about how hard it must be for these pets...

The red Wocky hiding in the corner is suddenly picked up by it's owner, who looks so rich...All these great clothes and everything...

They walk up to the Techo, and the owner holds out the Wocky and some money.

And just like that, the Techo pockets the money and grabs the Wocky forcefully.

I almost got sick when I heard it crying.

"No!! Don't go, please!! I'll train harder, I will!!" But the owner just keeps walking out the door, over to what looks like a Royalboy Draik standing on an expensive looking cushion.

Picking the Draik up, the door to the outside world slams with a resounding crack in the wall soon after.

Dr. Death opens the Abandon door, and throws the Wocky inside.

Oh, the cries I heard...As soon as that door opened up, I could hear the cries of so many Neopets in that room...

So many of them sounding ill, hurt and old...I understand now what this place is for...

They call it a place to adopt pets, yes, but all owners do is cast aside the weaker links.

The pets who are not colored with magnificent and expensive brushes, who are not in powerful levels, who do not have the ability to bring home gold and prizes...

I can see an Aisha clawing at the ground, trying to escape the room, but she's not green like I am.

Her skin is grey and dull, and she looks so sad as she tries desperatly to get away. You would think that because she was painted, she would get adopted just like that...

She's yelling out for someone, anyone to help her.

My owner tells me that grey Neopets are naturally sad, but adding something as stressful as this to her...I can't even imagine how painful that must be, to have your owner leave you in this place where you may never get adopted...

Where you starve and are put amongst terrible sicknesses...

Is that my owner coming out now? I think it is...She's not carrying another Neopet though, so I know that the right one just hasn't been found quite yet.

Coming up to me, she asks if I wish to stay here while she searches around some more, or go home empty-handed.

I had a much better idea.

--

Walking outside into the warm sunlight, I can see her wince in my owner's arms. She looks so beautiful right now, even if she is as grey as cold stone.

The Aisha still looks sad, and she's shivering, but I know she will feel much better when she gets used to living with us.

She's curled up into a ball slightly, and I watch as her fur is smoothed down gently, her body cradled protectively.

Walking alongside both my owner and my new 'sister', I glanced back at the cell behind me. The building seemed to glare at us as we continued moving.

That day changed the way I viewed people and their pets. Every time we walk near that building, I always catch a glare at an owner who walks out alone.

I vowed from this day forth, that I would never allow my owner to disown me or my sister.

That tiny building is just a small speck of Neopia, but even so, it's as though it has become the key topic amongst Neopet owners everywhere, as well as the pets who wait for the day that their owners decide to leave one of them behind.

--

I am considering writing a series based on this story, if anyone is interested. If you would like me to continue with this, then go ahead and say so in a review or PM. Thanks for reading!


End file.
